Toy lift truck



June 22, 194-8. c, KLlNT 2,443,622

I TOY LIFT TRUCK Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CA'TTORNE-Y June22, 1948. I c. KLINT TOY LIFT TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1946w W 9 y w 2 mm W 00.4, 1 T Wu 5 W my g Q, r W Y. e w 6a,

the rear end .of a bar l5.

Patented June 22, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY LIFT TRUCKApplication April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,647

This invention relates to a vehicle toy having a forwardly projectingplatform by which materials may be raised and lowered.

The general object is to provide a toy vehicle in which the platform isactuated to simulate an industrial lift truck.

Another object is to correlate the raising and lowering motions of thelift platform with the motions of the vehicle.

A more detailed object is to provide a toy vehicle which is adapted tobe advanced under power, stopped for a predetermined interval and thenreversed, and having a lift platform which is maintained in loweredposition during the vehicle advance and is raised during the dwell.

The invention also resides in the novel structural character of themechanism for actuating the lift platform and correlating its motionswith that of the vehicle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a toylift truck embodying the novel features of the present invention, thesection being taken along the line ll of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan section with the vehicle body removed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the operating cams and theirassociated followers.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the lift truck.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the path of movement of the vehicle insimulating the action of a lift truck.

The toy lift truck shown in the drawings for purposes of illustrationincludes a frame or chassis comprising a generally flat sheet metal baseill with upstanding front and rear plates 8 and 9 enclosed by a body IIwhich constitutes a housing for the operating parts. The rear end of theframe is supported by a single wheel [2 on the lower end of a verticalshaft I3 journaled in the frame and formed intermediate its ends with acrank [4 which is pivotally connected to The latter is urged forwardlyby a spring l6 and guided for endwise reciprocation on the plate 9.

The forward end of the frame is supported by wheels I! fast on oppositeends of an axle I8 on a cradle l9 which is suspended from a pivot 22 andthus swingable longitudinally of the chassis to engage a clutch pinionI9 with .one or the other of two reversely rotating gears 20 and 2| 8Claims. (Cl. 46212 lelism with the original path 26.

so as to respectively propel the vehicle forwardly or backwardly. Thevehicle is stopped when both clutches are disengaged with the pinion inthe neutral position shown in Fig. 1.

The gears 29 and 2| are driven in opposite directions as indicatedthrough speed increasing gearing driven from a main power shaft 23journaled in side plates of the chassis and rotated by a spring motorincluding a spiral spring 24 anchored at one end to the shaft 23 and atthe other end on the vehicle frame.

The steering mechanism and the reversin clutches are actuatedselectively and in timed relation to cause the vehicle to traverse apredetermined path which in this instance comprises a straight forwardadvance 26 of the vehicle (Fig. 5), stopping .of the vehicle at 21 for apredetermined time interval, reversing of the vehicle along a curve 2Bfollowed by forward advance of the vehicle along a curve 29 into paral-This pattern is produced by cams 30 and 3| of the open face type fast onand eXially spaced along the shaft 23. The periphery of the cam 30 bearsagain-st a follower 322 on the forward end of the slide l5 whichactuates the steering wheel l2. A follower 33 (Fig. 3) is urged by aspring 34 into engagement with the periphery of the clutch cam 3!. Thisfollower is on a bar 33 guided in the plates 8 and 9 and its forward endis connected at 3W to a shaft 22 of the forward and reverse clutches. Byshaping the cams 39 and 3| in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the vehiclewill traverse the pattern shown in Fig. 5 during each revolution of thecam shaft 23.

Projecting forwardly from the front end of the vehicle is a horizontalplatform 35 which is formed as a flange on a vertical plate 36 havingreversely bent lugs 31 and a flange 3'! which are guided on verticalrods 38 fixed to the vehicle frame in front of the body 1 I, the flange3'! bearing downwardly on, the plate In to limit the downward movementof the platform 35 to a position close to the surface supporting thevehicle. The arm 39 projects forwardly from a supporting pivot 48 whichextends transversely of the vehicle between the side plates. The forwardor free end of the arm projects through the frame plate 8 and into aslot 43 in the plate 36 of the lift platform. A surface 44 on the arm 39depending fromthepivot 49 is engaged by a lug 45 on the forwardlyprojecting end of a bar 46 guided at opposite ends in the plates 8 an 9and having formed thereon a follower 41 (Fig; l). The latter is adaptedto bear against the periphcry of a cam 48 fast on the shaft 23 andshaped as shown in relation to .the cams 3D and 3| so as to move thefollower 4'! forwardly when the vehicle is dwelling at the point 21,thereby raising the platform 35 as permitted by a depression on the cam48.

In operation of thetoy, the spring 24 is wound up by turning the handle50 (Fig. 4) o-n the-outwardly projecting end of the shaft 23, the gearsbeing held blocked against turning by a retractable stop 51 (Fig. l).The handle 50 is left in the vertical position as shown in Fig. 4,thereby positioning the cam shaft to start the cycle with the platformin raised position. The cams 3B and 3| are then positioned-forstraightforward advance of the vehicle which occurs upon retraction ofthe stop During the advance of the vehicle the cam 48 becomes effectiveto allow the follower 47 to move rearwardly and thereby lower theplatform 35 to theposition shown in Fig. 1. After traversing thestraight path 26, the Vehicle dwells at 21, during which the cam 48becomes effective to project thefollower 41 forwardly and raise theplatform 35. Aboutthis time, the cam 3d shifts the follower lilto turnthe steering wheel preparatory to turning along the .path 28 when thereverse clutch is engaged bythe cam'3 I. After backing of the vehicle tothe point 28 the'cams 38 and 3'! become effective'to condition thesteering wheel 2 for a left turn and to engage the forward clutch i9,28, thereby'causing the Vehicle to advance along the curve 29 and intoparallelism with the path 25 whereupon the cam 30 again turns thesteering wheel l2 to the straight forward position. The cycle is thuscompleted in one revolution of the camshaft 23.

By timing the motions of the vehicle and the actuation of the liftplatform in the manner described above, it will be seen that the actionof an ordinary lift truck is simulated, closely. At the same time, thepartsfor effecting the various motions are formed largely as simplestampings and yet are adapted'to operate reliably in service use.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A toy lift truck vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, wheelssupporting the frame to roll along a supporting surface, a poweractuator on said frame having a rotary shaft, clutch'mechahismselectively operable to-connect said actuator to one of said wheels topropel the vehicle forwardly and backwardly, steering mechanism, cammeans on said shaft operable during rotation of the latter to actuatesaid clutch and steering mechanism and cause the vehiclerto advance,stop for apredetermined interval, reverse and: then advance again, ahorizontal platformprojecting forwardly from said frameandmountedthereon for vertical movementfrom' a lowered position adjacent thesupporting surface, and means including a cam on said shaft operable intimed relation to the movements of the vehicle to maintain the platformin saidloweredposition during said first advance movement, to raisethe'platform while the vehicle is. stopped, and then to maintain theplatform in raised position during the succeeding reverse and advancemovements of the vehicle.

2. A toy lift truclcvehicle comprising avehicle frame, wheels supportingthe frame to -roll along a supporting surface, a power actuator on saidframe having a rotary shaft, mechanism for steering the vehicle, clutchmechanism for connecting said actuator to oneof said wheels to propelthe vehicle forwardly reversely' or to cause the vehicle to stop, ahorizontal platform projecting forwardly from said frame and mountedthereon for vertical movement from a lowered position adjacent thesupporting surface, separate cams on said shaft, and followers operatedby the respective cams to actuate said steering and clutch mechanisms,and to raise and lower said platform in timed relation.

3. A toy lift truck vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, wheelssupporting the frame to roll along a supporting surface, a rotary poweractuator on said frame, means driven by said actuator to propel thevehicle and cause the same to advance a predetermined distance, stop fora predetermined interval, and then reverse, a horizontal platformprojecting forwardly from said frame and mounted thereon for Verticalmovement from a lowered position adjacent the supporting surface, andmeans operated by said actuator in timed relation to the movements ofthe vehicle to maintain the platform in said lowered position duringsaidadvanced movement and raise the platform while the vehicle is stopped;

4. In a toy lift truck vehicle of the class described, a frame, a powerdriven shaft mounted on said frame, wheels supporting said frame, onebeing driven from said shaft to propel the vehicle, means driven by saidshaft to control the patternof the pathtraversedby' said vehicle, a liftelement mounted on the frontof said frame for up and down movement,and'means'actu'ated from said shaft and operable'to raise and lower saidlift'elem'entin timed relation to the changing motions of the vehicle.

5. In a toy vehicle of the class described, a wheeled frame, avertically extendingmember mounted on one end of said frame for.vertical sliding movement, a horizontal outwardly projecting flange onthe lower endof said member constituting a liftingplatform, an armmounted on: said frame to swing about apivot extending transversely ofthe frame, the. free end" of said arm engaging said member, a followermounted on said -frameto slidelongitudinallythereof and engageable withsaidarmto rock the latter when the follower is movedforwardly andrearwardly, a power rotated shaft on said frame, and means driven bysaid shaft for reciprocating said fol lower.

6: In a toy vehicle of the class described, a wheeled frame, avertically extending member mountedon one end of said'frame for verticalsliding movement, a horizontal outwardlyprojecting. flange on. the lowerend of said fmember constituting a lifting. platform, an arm pivotallymounted on said frame and engagingsaidimeinher at itsfree'end; aipowerrotated shaft on said frame; and cam means rotatable with: saidshaft to'move said arm in opposite directions andhold the arm in either or twospaced'limit'positions.

7. -A toy lift truck comprising a wheeled frame, a lifting platformmounted". on one'endi of said frame for vertical" movement, a powerrotated shaft on'said frame, means driven from said shaft topropel the Ivehicle along a supporting; surface, and means actuated fromsaidishaftand operableto effect raisingand' lowering. of: saidpla'tform in timedrelation to: the motion of the vehicle.

8: A toy lift truck comprising, a wheeled frame, a lifting'platformsmounted on oneehd of said frame: for vertical movement, a power rotatedshafton saidframe, carrrmeans rotatable with said shaft, a followerforsaid, cam means-movably mounted on'said frame,- and-means actuated bysaid follower and operable to raise said platform relative to thevehicle upon movement of the follower in one direction and to lower theplatform during reverse movement of the follower.

BERNARD C. KLINT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Miller July 21, 1914DeFilippis June 9, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Sept. 5,1926

